Terry Eagleton is Professor of Cultural Theory and John Rylands Fellow at the University of Manchester. His works include The Ideology of the Aesthetic (1990), Literacy Theory: An Introduction (1983), Walter Benjamin (1981) and Marxism and Literacy Criticism (1976).

"Brilliant little book ... dazzling and exhilarating ... Eagleton is alive to the excitement and originality of a great playwright." Sunday Times "When you read this book you feel Eagleton's pleasure in reading Shakespeare's works. He deals with the plays in chapters which cut across the well-used categories and an excitement is created by the unexpectedness of the directions which he takes." Marxism Today"Always provocative, Mr. Eagleton does in print what directors regularly do on stage: change the century, stitch up new costumes, but preserve the story line and language." Herbert Mitgang, The New York Times

• Preface ix1 Language: Macbeth, Richard II, Henry IV 12 Desire: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night 183 Law: The Merchant of Venice, Measure for Measure, Troilus and Cressida 354 ‘Nothing’: Othello, Hamlet, Coriolanus 645 Value: King Lear, Timon of Athens, Antony and Cleopatra 766 Nature: As You Like It, The Winter’s Tale, The Tempest 90Conclusion 97Notes 105Index 109

Terry Eagleton is Professor of Cultural Theory and John Rylands Fellow at the University of Manchester. His works include The Ideology of the Aesthetic (1990), Literacy Theory: An Introduction (1983), Walter Benjamin (1981) and Marxism and Literacy Criticism (1976).

"Brilliant little book ... dazzling and exhilarating ... Eagleton is alive to the excitement and originality of a great playwright." Sunday Times "When you read this book you feel Eagleton's pleasure in reading Shakespeare's works. He deals with the plays in chapters which cut across the well-used categories and an excitement is created by the unexpectedness of the directions which he takes." Marxism Today"Always provocative, Mr. Eagleton does in print what directors regularly do on stage: change the century, stitch up new costumes, but preserve the story line and language." Herbert Mitgang, The New York Times

• Preface ix1 Language: Macbeth, Richard II, Henry IV 12 Desire: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night 183 Law: The Merchant of Venice, Measure for Measure, Troilus and Cressida 354 ‘Nothing’: Othello, Hamlet, Coriolanus 645 Value: King Lear, Timon of Athens, Antony and Cleopatra 766 Nature: As You Like It, The Winter’s Tale, The Tempest 90Conclusion 97Notes 105Index 109